Sponsored Apocalypse ch 33

In the halls of Anubis, Ahmes the priest, otherwise known as “Melvin,” looked up from his new series of embalming records and felt a sense of familiar satisfaction.  Shades of dead priests wandered around the halls, still serving after death and happy about it.  The halls of Anubis were always full of both the living and the dead.

Suddenly, Ahmes felt a new presence.

Only a moment before it had only been his brothers, his fellow priests, and the god in this room.  But now there was another.

Due to his training, Ahmes could feel the newcomer’s divine power.  What exactly her status was, he was not sure, but she radiated authority in a way only the truly powerful could.  She was dressed in an ornate dress that hinted at curves but didn’t hug them.  Her embroidered cloak was enchanted, its hood up.

The spirits of the dead threw themselves to the ground.  Some seemed to recognize her.

With all the evidence at hand, this had to be a goddess.

Ahmes bowed at the same time as all the other living priests.  All their bows were respectful, but not as low as they bowed to their own god.  After all, Anubis, the god, was their master.

Anubis was lounging  on his throne in human form.  As soon as the newcomer arrived he put down the tablet he’d been reading and said in surprise, “What brings you here?”

The goddess moved forward, her skirts artfully swishing.  She stopped a good distance from the throne.  After a modest incline of the head that Anubis returned, she said “Greetings.”

Anubis raised an eyebrow.  “Not that I am displeased, but why have you come?”

“I’ve come to discuss our charges, the two we are investing in who are also coincidentally in the same area on the same world.”

“Oh?  You may have to be more specific.”

She said, “I think you know what I'm talking about.”  Even though her face was not visible, Ahmes could actually hear her raised eyebrow.  “Neither of us exactly take many champions.” The Goddess made a gesture. One of the chairs against the wall scooted forward.  The priest who’d been standing before it had to scurry aside after it bumped his legs.

After the chair reached her, the goddess sat with absolute self confidence and poise.  She was elegant, radiating power.  Ahmes was impressed by how both gods were very obvious equals despite the goddess sitting at a lower level and using such a plain chair.  This was definitely a meeting of equals.

“Perhaps I can intuit what you mean,” said Anubis.  “But why come now?  And why so suddenly?”

The goddess waved one hand.  “Timing.  I have noticed your new champion since he has interacted with mine, and the stars are telling me that their paths will likely cross again.  However, they also both seem to have a complicated relationship with death.  Whether that means they will die or something more interesting, I am not sure.

“So, I decided to come here to discuss the matter with an absolute expert on death…who aslo happens to be the sponsor of the other champion I’d noticed.  And I will admit  that I came because I was curious about some other things as well.”

Anubis placed his chin on a closed fist.  “Such as?”

“Well, your new champion really has nothing exceptional about him prior to your sponsorship.  I’ve looked at deeply as I can and have still seen nothing to help me understand why you’ve invested so much into him.  Sure, he has slightly better luck than others, but not amazing.  And his attitude towards things pertaining to your domain make him compatible, but he’s not a genius.  And you have agents and attention enough to find dozens of others at least as good, if not better.

“This is very different from my own champion.  You can likely tell at a glance why I favor her.  Athena is so scattered, despite her wisdom, she can be a fool regarding what is right under her nose.”

Anubis sounded amused as he asked, “So what is your question.”

“Will you tell me why you chose your new champion?”

“No.”  Anubis smiled.

“I see.”  She stood and the chair she’d been sitting in slid back to the wall where it’d been before.  Then the goddess began to pace slowly.  She said, “I find myself drawn to this small conflict more than any other in a long time.  The Eternal Struggle has stagnated but things are changing, even past the changes we’d already expected recently.  I don’t think the role of a mere observer suits me now.”

She walked in a small circle a few times before turning back towards Anubis.  “How about we make a bet?”

Anubis sounded genuinely surprised as he said, “I will listen if you will elaborate.”

“How about this? Whichever of our champions reach the Registry first, will receive an artifact from the losing champion’s god?”

“An artifact?”

“Yes.  Top tier.”

“Wouldn’t that be dangerous?”  Anubis’ tone was neutral.

“Of course.  But any champion that can reach the Registry in the first place should be able to handle the added danger of receiving such a thing.  At the very least they need it.  Metal does not pound itself into a sword.”

“This is true.  But what if neither of them ever attains the Registry?”

The goddess held up a hand.  “Then the bet would be voided.  Both would lose and neither of us would owe the other anything.”

“Risky..”

The goddess laughed, sounding like peals of clear crystal bells.  The sound echoed through the halls of the dead and the shades shivered where they floated.  “Indeed.  But that is how the Great Struggle works, no?  No risk, no reward.  But also, if either of our champions is capable of making the Registry, imagine what might come from them receiving an artifact.  And we would be making the bet now, so such a thing would pass scrutiny from the others later.  We have a built in loss, too.”

Anubis took a while before responding.  “I find no flaw your logic.  However, I want to add the stipulation that both champions must still be living for this bet to be honored.”

“Then do we have an accord?”

“I believe we do.  Shall we make it official?”  Anubis’ appearance changed.  He grew and became the jackal god that most of the universe knew him to be.  His power beat on the air like a human helicopter contraption.

At the same time, the goddess began to glow. Something about her changed, subtle, but powerful.  Her presence lit up the world, making it heavier where she stood.

Anubis said, “Both of us have a low level champion on a certain, newly integrated world right now, in the same general area, and both have fought together.  If one of them reaches the Registry while the other lives, the winning champion will receive a top tier artifact from the other champion’s god.”

The power of the potential contract between gods made the world hush.

The goddess moved in an elegant way, spreading her hands.  Then she said, “I agree.” She bowed her head, a fraction more deeply than when she’d just arrived.  Then she disappeared.

Anubis reverted back to his human form.  “Melvin,” he called.  “Attend me.”

Ahmes felt a tiny flash of irritation that he immediately suppressed.  Ever since the human named Miles Lindstrom had come to this place, it had amused Anubis to refer to Ahmes as Melvin.  Suddenly, he knew who at least one of the champions the gods had just been discussing had to be.

Anubis summoned a glass of wine and took a sip.  “Melvin, I want you to observe my new champion more regularly.  The one known as Miles Lindstrom.”

“Yes Lord,” said Ahmes.  He screwed up his courage and asked the question he was sure most of the priests in the room were wondering.  “Lord, who was your visitor just now?”

Anubis smiled mysteriously.  “Just an old friend.”

The look in the god’s eyes turned distant, obviously not seeing the throne room around them.  He took another sip of wine and repeated, “Just an old friend.”